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DuckMe

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 14, 2022
70
39
The following content has expired and cannot be updated to iOS 15.7.2 now, and users who are still using iOS 15.7.2 will face serious security risks. It is recommended that all users update to the latest version.

The following are kept as archives.




1.png
FOREWORD

You may have heard that iOS 15.7.2 is not available for devices that can be upgraded to iOS 16.

Well, actually that's not quite true, Apple developed 15.7.2 for the iPhone 8 and later, and asked people to test those firmwares, but changed that plan when it was finally released.

So, there's 15.7.2 firmware out there, it's just hard for you to get it because of Apple's restrictions. in this guide I will show you how to bypass these restrictions and install iOS 15.7.2 on your iPhone.

This guidance is time-sensitive and if you reading it after March 12, 2023 (12/3/2023), it must have expired. Check the time and don't read outdated content.





AVAILABILITY

This guide applies to all devices that can only get iOS 16.2 and not iOS 15.7.2, including iPhone 8 series, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS series, iPhone 11 series, iPhone SE 2020, iPhone 12 series, iPhone 13 series and iPhone SE 2022.

For devices currently running between iOS 14.5 and 15.7.1, the update method is easiest there.


Member RetiredDinosaur reports (#113) that 15.6 RC1 has stopped signing on February 23, 2023 (23/2/2023). For those on iOS 16.x and before iOS 14.5, It is no longer possible to update to iOS 15.7.2 by following this guide.

For devices from before iOS 14.5 or already on iOS 16, you must be in the 14.5-15.7.1 version range to get the update, the reason is that in versions prior to 14.5, Apple has not added the option to choose to update, so there will only be iOS 16 instead of 15 and 16. for iOS 16, obviously, you have to downgrade to a lower version to update to 15.7.2, because 15.7.2 just an OTA update, so it doesn't have ipsw for you to downgrade. you can read the later part of this guide, there are related steps on how to update to iOS 15.6 RC1 (19G69) first to get the OTA update of 15.7.2.

The guidance expires on March 12, 2023 (12/3/2023), which is the 90-day delay Apple allowed.

For iOS releases outside of 14.5 and 15.7.1, the expiration date there will be harder to predict, as the only currently available entry into this range is iOS 15.6 RC1 (19G69), which is long overdue to stop signing, so Apple can stop signing this version at any time, If Apple does this next second, then you lose your chance to upgrade to 15.7.2.





PREREQUISITES

- This guide has not expired

- A macOS or a Windows computer

- iPhone

- A USB cable to connect your iPhone to your computer





HOW TO DO

Before I start I want to quickly explain the steps:

- Prepare profiles for Delayed OTA and iOS 15 beta

- Put your iPhone in supervised mode

- Import profiles and update to iOS 15.7.2


For iOS versions that are not in the supported range (before iOS 14.5 or on iOS 16.x), you must first update to iOS 15.6 RC1 (19G69) (currently available) and then follow the steps above.

For devices that have been jailbroken, the warning to you is that you have to do a full restore, i.e. put the iPhone in recovery mode, then restore your iPhone using the iOS 15.6 RC1 (19G69) restore ipsw, since 15.7.2, since 15.7.2 doesn't have ipsw available for restore on these devices, any jailbreak leftover files will not be able to be removed after this upgrade.





3.png
PREPARE CONFIGURATION PROFILES

We need two profiles, one for Delayed OTA and one for Beta, the former takes you back to the day when 15.7.2 RC was available, and Beta profile allows you to get RC through the beta channel.


- Delayed OTA Profiles

The first is the Delayed OTA profile, which is an XML file that can be made with any text editor. iOS 15.7.2 RC is released on December 7th, 2022 (7/12/2022) and fully available on December 8th (8/12/2022), we need to calculate the time difference between Today and December 8th, and then make a delayed ota profile suitable for today, so that your iPhone can go back to December 8th and get the ota update available that day.

Here's how:

An attachment is provided at the bottom of this thread. It is a Delayed OTA profile template that has been made. Download it, modify line 21 <integer>7</integer>, and change the number to your calculated time difference. For today (December 15th), that is 7 days.

Remove the .txt in the filename, then you'll have the Delayed OTA profile ready.

A readable example is also provided here, and you can also copy them into an empty text file, and change the file name to delay.mobileconfig after modifying the time difference <integer>7</integer>.

XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>PayloadContent</key>
    <array>
        <dict>
            <key>PayloadDescription</key>
            <string>Configures restrictions</string>
            <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
            <string>Restrictions</string>
            <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
            <string>com.apple.applicationaccess.441AD044-6E53-4B52-BC89-BF8C170129D2</string>
            <key>PayloadType</key>
            <string>com.apple.applicationaccess</string>
            <key>PayloadUUID</key>
            <string>441AD044-6E53-4B52-BC89-BF8C170129D2</string>
            <key>PayloadVersion</key>
            <integer>1</integer>
            <key>enforcedSoftwareUpdateDelay</key>
            <integer>7</integer>
            <key>forceDelayedSoftwareUpdates</key>
            <true/>
        </dict>
    </array>
    <key>PayloadDescription</key>
    <string>Delayed update for iOS 15.7.2, you can read more at https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/2373742/</string>
    <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
    <string>OTA Delay - iOS 15.7.2</string>
    <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
    <string>OTADelay</string>
    <key>PayloadOrganization</key>
    <string>DuckMe @ MacRumors</string>
    <key>PayloadRemovalDisallowed</key>
    <false/>
    <key>PayloadType</key>
    <string>Configuration</string>
    <key>PayloadUUID</key>
    <string>A40A3A0D-4E0F-49ED-B910-57160D9394B7</string>
    <key>PayloadVersion</key>
    <integer>1</integer>
</dict>
</plist>

- iOS 15 Beta Profile

You'll also need the iOS 15 beta profile, which I can't provide you or tell you how to get it because it's against the forum rules.

This file is also an XML file, the difference is that it must be signed by Apple to be valid, only members of the Apple Beta Software Program can legally obtain the profile, distributing it is against Apple and forum rules, so I can't help you further.

If you are missing the Delayed OTA profile but have the Beta profile, then you can get 15.7.2, you can download it, but it cannot be installed because it is no longer signed.

If you are missing the Beta profile but have the Delayed OTA profile, you can go back in time, but only get the public channel version available back in the day, probably 15.7.1.

When you combine two profiles, you get everything to work.




2.png
PUT IPHONE IN SUPERVISED MODE

This step assumes that you have prepared two profiles.

The delayed OTA profile we made works only in supervision mode. this mode is provided by Apple to organizations to strengthen the organization's control over the Apple products they own. many advanced controls on the iPhone can be activated in this mode, one of which is the delayed update we use, which allows organizations to update to a version of firmware 90 days after Apple no longer signs it, or for organizations, they get an additional 90-day signature period.


To put an iPhone into supervised mode, there are three popular software that can do it, you can choose the one that suits you:

- Apple Configurator 2

Apple Configurator 2 is officially provided by Apple, it is free and recommended, but the software can only be used on macOS.

- iMazing

iMazing is paid software and you can use it on Windows and macOS.

- iBackupBot from supervise me

iBackupBot, the software reported by other members in this thread (#30), is free and works on Windows and may only run on older versions of macOS.


When putting your iPhone into supervised mode using Apple Configurator 2 or iMazing you will be asked to erase all data on the iPhone, this is because only brand new devices can join the organization, make a backup before that. Note: If you are using eSIM, please make sure that you use a computer to back up your iPhone before erasing it. After erasing your iPhone with a computer, it will be completely erased, and your eSIM profile will also be deleted, but you can restore your eSIM profile from local backup (not iCloud). If you are unable to retrieve your eSIM after restoring, you must contact your carrier to find out how to re-add your number to your phone.


iBackupBot uses a special method to put your device into supervised mode without erasing your iPhone, it requires you to restore a specially edited backup into the iPhone, a member of this thread reported that this operation has the potential to cause data loss (#39), so make a backup before you do.

- How to use Apple Configurator 2

The following steps are modified partly from the MobileGuardian (I'm too lazy to rewrite all):
  1. Connect your iPhone to macOS with a USB cable, then trust that computer
  2. You need to use the Finder to backup your iPhone, as all data on the iPhone will be erased after completion
  3. Open Apple Configurator 2
  4. Click on Apple Configurator 2 tab at the top left-hand corner and go to Preferences
  5. Select the Organization tab from the preferences box and click on the "+" symbol to create a new Organization, Skip the Apple ID sign in
  6. Just fill in the organization name, feel free to fill it in, it will only show up on your iPhone
  7. Select "Generate a new supervision identity" and click "Done"
  8. Close the preferences box. Right-click on your iPhone and select prepare
  9. In the new box with the heading "Prepare Devices" please select "Manual Configuration" and untick all boxes except "Supervise devices" and "Allow devices to pair with other computers" and then click Next
  10. On the next screen with the heading "Enroll in MDM Server" in the "Server" drop-down menu select "Do not enroll in MDM" and click next
  11. On the next screen with the heading "Assign to Organization" select the organization we created earlier from the drop-down menu
  12. You can now choose the steps you want to be presented within the Setup Assistant and click "Prepare"
  13. Then you will be asked to erase your iPhone, and your iPhone has been supervised after entering the iPhone home screen (Note: when your iPhone restarts to the setup assistant (hello screen), you don't need to log into your Apple account, and you don't need to import your backup. this is the first time to erase the iPhone, we will erase the second time after updating to iOS 15.7.2, after the second time you can import your data and log in your Apple account)

- How to use iMazing

The following steps are modified partly from the iMazing (I'm too lazy to rewrite all):
  1. Connect your iPhone to computer with a USB cable, then trust that computer
  2. You need to use the Finder (macOS) or iTunes (Windows) to backup your iPhone, as all data on the iPhone will be erased after completion
  3. Open iMazing
  4. Scroll down in the Actions list and click Supervision
  5. Click the Organization and click on the "+" symbol to create a new Organization
  6. Just fill in the organization name, feel free to fill it in, it will only show up on your iPhone
  7. Once you have at least one organization in your library, select one and click Choose
  8. Please select "Allow pairing without supervision identity" and "Disable USB Restricted Mode" then click Next
  9. Then you will be asked to erase your iPhone, and your iPhone has been supervised after entering the iPhone home screen (Note: when your iPhone restarts to the setup assistant (hello screen), you don't need to log into your Apple account, and you don't need to import your backup. this is the first time to erase the iPhone, we will erase the second time after updating to iOS 15.7.2, after the second time you can import your data and log in your Apple account)

- How to use iBackupBot

Since this software may not work on the latest version of macOS, it is recommended that all macOS users use the official Apple Configurator 2, so the following steps take Windows as an example, and some steps are modified partly from the supervise me (I'm too lazy to rewrite all):
  1. Connect your iPhone to computer with a USB cable, then trust that computer
  2. You need to use the iTunes to backup your iPhone, although iBackupBot claims not to erase data, just in case
  3. Open the Supervise backup and extract the .zip
  4. On the device itself, disable "Find My"
  5. Open iBackupBot
  6. In iBackupBot, click "file", "open" and select the folder where the extacted supervise backup is located
  7. When the backup is imported, click "+" by Add Supervision, then click "System Files"
  8. Search for "config", then right click on "ConfigurationProfiles" and select "restore selected items to device"
  9. Enter the password "1111" and then click on "restore"
  10. Now the supervise backup will restore onto your device. Once done, you will now be supervised (Note: when your iPhone restarts to the setup assistant (hello screen), you don't need to log into your Apple account or import your backup. After entering the Home Screen, your data will be preserved)



4.png
IMPORT PROFILES AND UPDATE TO IOS 15.7.2

- Import configuration profiles


The last step is to import the configuration profiles to the iPhone and then check for updates, there are three ways to import, Mail app, Safari app or direct import through the computer, Safari is more difficult, I will not introduce.

- Mail App

Login to your email in iPhone's Mail App, then send two profiles to the email, and click the email attachment to import them.


Only Apple Configurator 2 and iMazing allow you to import profiles directly from your computer to your iPhone:

- Apple Configurator 2

Connect your iPhone to macOS via USB and open Apple Configurator, Right-click on your iPhone in Apple Configurator, then select "Add > Profiles", select the profiles you prepared before.

- iMazing

Connect your iPhone to macOS or Windows via USB and open iMazing, click the Profiles icon, drag and drop the profiles you prepared to iMazing.


- Adjust iPhone date to make expired iOS 15 beta profile valid

iOS 15 beta profiles have expired on January 31, 2023 (31/1/2023). On the current date, the system will prevent you from installing the beta profile file, so we need to adjust the date of the iPhone to before January 31, 2023. In order to avoid time zone problems, it is recommended to set it to January 28th.

Go to your iPhone's Settings App, "General > Date & Time", turn off the "Set Automatically", and change the date to January 28th, 2023.

(Big thanks to @RetiredDinosaur for providing this method in #105, before we thought this guide was dead)


- Install Configuration profiles

Go to iPhone's Settings App, go to "General > VPN and Device Management" to enable your profiles one by one.


- Update and restore your data

Finally you can check for updates at "General > Software Update" and you should receive the update for iOS 15.7.2 and it will install normally.

After the update, if you put your iPhone in supervised mode using Apple Configurator 2 or iMazing, you will need to erase your iPhone to exit supervised mode. the way is: open the iPhone's Settings app, go to "General > Transfer or Reset iPhone", then tap "Erase All Content and Settings", after erasing, you can restore your iPhone using the backup you created earlier.

I haven't used iBackupBot, but members have reported that after the update, supervision mode is automatically exited, and all profiles are automatically deleted, but your app data and settings are preserved.


At this point, this guide is COMPLETE for you. Enjoy the holidays with your iPhone on iOS 15.7.2 🥳

If your upgrade succeeded or failed, you can reply to this thread to let us know or help you. please let us know your pre-upgrade iOS version and the model you are using when replying.






ADDITIONAL STEPS

These additional steps only applies to unsupported version range (before iOS 14.5 or on iOS 16.x) or jailbroken devices. but it can also be followed if you plan to do a clean restore before upgrading to 15.7.2.

As mentioned earlier, iOS 15.6 RC1 (19G69) is still signed and this is currently the only and last iOS 15 restore firmware available for these devices.

If your iOS is on a version prior to iOS 14.5, you will not be able to see the iOS 15.7.2 update if you follow the above steps, as the optional upgrade feature has not been added to iOS prior to 14.5, you need to update to iOS 15.6 RC1 (19G69) first.

If you're using iOS 16, now is your last chance to downgrade to iOS 15 via 15.6 RC1 (19G69).

If you are using a device that is already jailbroken then you need to be aware that updating to iOS 15.7.2 may not jailbreak your device and since there is no restore firmware available for 15.7.2, OTA updates won't help you remove those leftover jailbreak modifications, so you'll have to restore to iOS 15.6 RC1 (19G69) first to make sure your system files don't contain any unofficial modifications.

Also, since no signed restore firmware exists for iOS 15.7.2 on these devices, the only option for those who want to do a DFU restore with ipsw is to restore with 15.6 RC1 (19G69) and then update with OTA to 15.7.2.

These are all reasons to restore with iOS 15.6 RC1 (19G69), but it needs to be emphasized that Apple usually unsigns the previous firmware a week after the next firmware release, iOS 15.6 RC1 is an unusual special case, they either forget to unsign, or signed but for a special purpose, there's no reliable explanation there anyway, but what we do know for sure is that Apple could unsign this firmware the next second without notifying you, and then then there's no chance for you to restore to 15.6 RC1 (19G69), which means, for unsupported version range, you won't be able to update to 15.7.2.


- How to restore to iOS 15.6 RC1 (19G69)

  1. Search for "Your iPhone + iOS 15.6 RC1 (19G69) + iPhone Wiki" to get and download the ipsw download links for restoration
  2. Connect your iPhone to the computer and trust the computer
  3. Back up your iPhone with Finder (macOS) or iTunes (Windows)
  4. Put your iPhone into recovery mode or DFU mode (you can search how to put your iPhone into recovery/DFU mode to learn how to do this)
  5. For Finder, press and hold the Option key to select "Restore iPhone", and select the 15.6 RC1 ipsw you downloaded to restore, for Windows, you can hold the Shift key to do the same restore operation in iTunes
  6. Follow the steps in this guide to update from 15.6 RC1 to iOS 15.7.2 after the restore is complete





FAQs
Why update to 15.7.2?

iOS 15.7.2 and 16.2 were released at the same time, both of which aim to fix bugs in previous versions, including a large number of security fixes, especially the fix for the notorious zero-day vulnerability CVE-2022-42856.

Of course, if you're just tired of upgrading to iOS 16, which may not yet be stable, or your device has been around for a while and you're worried about battery or performance issues after the update, it's all about staying on iOS 15 and getting the latest security updates available reason.
What is the difference between the RC (Release Candidate) release and the final/official release?

For iOS 15.7.2 (build number 19H218) there is no difference, they are the same files, just released on different channels.

Apple will first release the firmware in the beta channel to ensure that there are no known problems, and then push it to all users in the public channel.

And 15.7.2 RC (19H218) was not pushed in the public channel (or only for a few hours), but in the beta channel with a longer signature period, that's why we got it from the beta channel. For firmware obtained from the beta channel, we are used to calling it RC, although in some cases they are exactly the same as the public channel release.

The build number is an easy way to verify that they are the same.
I am getting a "Unable to Verify Update, iOS 15.7.2 failed verification because you are no longer connected to the Internet" error when installing this update, what should I do?

Check that you installed TWO profiles correctly?

Check if you put your iPhone in supervised mode correctly?

Check if this guide is expired?

If all is correct then reply with more details so I can help you.
How to prevent automatic update to iOS16?

Go to iPhone's "Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates", turn off "Download iOS Updates" and "Install iOS Updates".
How to turn off annoying update to iOS 16 notifications?

The following method may not work because the iOS 15 beta profile has expired, but you can adjust the system date to before January 31, 2023 to install the beta profile to make the annoying red dot disappear for a while.

After reinstalling the iOS 15 beta profile, you will never receive updates for iOS 16 and newer versions again. so your Settings app notification badges (red dot) and iOS 16 available reminders will disappear forever after installing the profile. doing this your system will be stuck on iOS 15 forever until you delete the iOS 15 beta profile.
What if Apple Configurator asks to update my iPhone to the latest version?

You can simply ignore.
How do I not have to erase my iPhone in the process?

You don't have to erase your iPhone when using iBackupBot to enter supervisor mode.
Can iOS 15.7.2 be Jailbroken?

It depends on the device you are using, and the vulnerabilities currently available.

For iPhones with A8 to A11 processors, there is a hardware-level vulnerability that is not fixable through software, and it has been actively exploited by the jailbreak community. For this guide, the iPhone 8 series and iPhone X with A11 processors are currently the only ones Jailbroken devices are available on iOS 15.7.2. In the future, the jailbreak community may discover and exploit software vulnerabilities that exist in iOS 15.7.2, but it is only speculation, and there is no exact time to confirm.
How to save blobs in 15.7.2?

No you can't, there are several reasons there, first, this is OTA firmware, saved blobs cannot be reused, second, the programs that save blobs require the firmware is signing, and 15.7.2 is no longer signed.

There are still many reasons why you can't save blobs, like not having a public ipsw link, but yes, someone managed to save blobs while ipsw was still signed, but that was just luck.
Can I follow this guide to upgrade my iPad to iPadOS 15.7.2?

No, any iPad that can get 16.2 can choose 15.7.2 or 16.2, so Apple already has an option there for iPads to upgrade to 15.7.2, you don't need to follow this guide. but if your iPad has already been updated to iPadOS 16, you can indeed restore to iPadOS 15 through the currently still-signing iPadOS 15.6 RC1 (19G69), and then just upgrade to iPadOS 15.7.2 normally.
Can I upgrade my iPhone 14 to iOS 15.7.2?

No, the iPhone 14 launched with iOS 16, so there's no chance of a downgrade there.
Can you tell me where I can find the iOS 15 beta profiles?

No, only members of the Apple Beta Software Program can legally obtain the profiles, distributing them is against Apple's rules, and forum rules don't allow me to do so, so I can't help you further.
I'm a member of the Apple Beta Software Program, why can't I get the beta profile for iOS 15?

Now because iOS 15 no longer requires testers, Apple no longer provides beta profiles for iOS 15. those who previously had profiles will be able to continue using them to get the iOS 15.7.2 update.
Why does the time difference have to be December 8th and not December 7th?

Apple has a habit of releasing iOS in the afternoon Pacific time, so 15.7.2 may not be available on the morning of December 7th. don't go back too early, or you will have to wait.
I'm using a jailbroken iPhone, can I update it with a tweak that can enter supervised mode?

Technically yes, but it's not recommended, although you can get iOS 15.7.2, and install it normally, but as explained above, all the leftover files of the jailbreak will be kept on the system. so just follow this guide for a clean update from 15.6 RC1.
Can this method be used to upgrade to iOS 15.7.3 in the future?

In my personal opinion, Apple has already killed plans to continue to get iOS 15 on these devices when 15.7.2 was released, so there will likely not be an iOS 15.7.3 at all for these devices in the future. using software to make hardware obsolete is a consistent practice in this walled garden.
Why is the iOS 15.7.2 firmware larger than 4GB?

That's because when you go from the public channel to the beta channel, Apple doesn't prepare you for incremental OTA updates that are usually only a few hundred MB, but instead provides you with full OTA updates to completely update your iPhone.
Where can I find restore ipsw for iOS 15.7.2 for Recovery/DFU mode restore?

As of iOS 15.7.1, Apple no longer provides ipsw for restore for these devices for which this guide applies. Only OTA upgrades are available there, and OTA firmware cannot be used for restore. In fact in 15.7.1 Apple did prepare ipsw for these devices, but they were never signed, these firmwares can only be used by authorized people who can obtain Apple's signature.

If you are doing a restore read the additional steps above to restore using 15.6 RC1 (19G69).
Will following this guide brick my iPhone?

Of course not, this is an iOS update method for the public, not some mysterious magic, so countless people use this method to update to a new version of iOS every day. If there were a flaw in there that could brick your iPhone, iOS wouldn't have a "Software Update" option at all.
Will my Face/Touch ID become invalid after updating to 15.7.2 or 15.6 RC1?

No, rest assured this won't happen, because this is the official update/downgrade method, not the one used by the jailbreak community.
What should I do if iOS 15.6 RC1 (19G69) is no longer signed?

There is nothing I can do about it.
I'm late, I just saw this guide after it expired, how do I upgrade to iOS 15.7.2?

There is nothing I can do about it.
Is iOS 15.7.2 still safe?
Not safe! the critical zero-day vulnerability CVE-2023-23529 has been confirmed to exist in versions prior to 15.7.4, and 15.7.2 is now not recommended for anyone to use.

The vulnerability can be triggered through the browser, mail application or link preview, and can completely take over the entire iPhone without the user's knowledge.

The vulnerability has been fixed in iOS 16.3.1 and iOS 15.7.4, and everyone is advised to update to the latest version.

This answer was posted on March 29, 2023.
I can't update to iOS 15.7.3, should I stay on iOS 15.7.2 or update to iOS 16?

In addition to new features, the new version has important security fixes. If Apple no longer provides iOS 15 security fixes for your devices, there's no reason in my opinion to keep using iOS 15, or you're willing to take the gamble. maybe you won't encounter hackers during that phone's lifetime, but once you do, you have to think carefully about why you didn't update to the latest version at the time. And don't wait for something to happen to think about it, think about it now.





THANKS & CREDITS

Apple, developed the softwares and allow businesses to use the method to upgrade to firmware that is no longer signed.

Github user dhinakg (aka Dhinak G), for contributions in the Delayed OTA profiles, from whom the original profiles template for this guide came from.

MacRumors, without original discussion of iOS 15.7.2 by members of this forum I would never have thought of taking advantage of the delayed ota upgrade to this version, and of course without this forum, this guide would not have been published.

Moderators, since I'm new to the forum and every time I edit it gets put in pending mode, they helped to review it in a timely manner and make this guide compliant with the forum rules.

@iosgino, @vladstarr, @TheNukie, @arw, @logicstudiouser, @RetiredDinosaur, @redheeler, @VAR_123, @Jordan Klein, @maryland and more for corrected or clarified some mistakes in this guide, help others and share their experiences in this thread.

@Bogdan, provided a more concise latency OTA profile template (#8), which is the version used by the current guide.

@TheNukie, shared a new way to put the iPhone in supervised mode.

@ulama, provided a tip for updating to this version via 15.6 RC1 (19G69) in the original discussion.

@RetiredDinosaur, Since the iOS 15 beta profile has expired on January 31st, RetiredDinosaur provided a way (#105) to bypass the date check, making the system think that the profile has not expired so that this guide will continue to be valid after January 31 until March 12, 2023.



If you have experience please share it in this thread, feel free to share this guide to help more people, you are free to modify, copy and distribute it, and you own all rights (if a specified license is required, then it is public domain).

This guide is a registered user editable wiki, feel free to edit it if you wish to help improve this guide.

Thanks for reading ☺️
 

Attachments

  • delay.mobileconfig.txt
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Last edited:

ablatt

macrumors member
Sep 27, 2006
64
92
Never done this before but want to try. Are IOS 15 Beta Profiles hard to find? I could only find one for IOS 15.6.3. Would that work?
 

iosgino

macrumors newbie
Mar 4, 2018
5
21
Maryland, USA
Hi, I am getting an error when trying to install the delay.mobileconfig file. Via email it's just a generic "Profile Error Invalid Profile", while getting this error if I try to install it via Apple Configurator: "This profile is invalid or missing required values. [ConfigurationUtilityKit.error – 0x6 (6)]". Since today's date is Dec. 17, I entered in "9" as the modification. Can you let me know what I can be doing wrong?

EDIT 1: I've figured it out. I needed to create and save an empty .txt file first, then copy/paste the code into that .txt. All good now. Waiting for the update to download to see if it is successful!

EDIT 2: SUCCESS!!! After redoing the delay.mobileconfig file, it all worked flawlessly!! Also, in leu of emailing the configs, installing them via the Apple Configurator works as well!! Hope this helps anyone else that may/would have any issues!

And thanks @DuckMe for this awesome work around!!!!
 
Last edited:
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DuckMe

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 14, 2022
70
39
Forgive my writing, obviously there are some grammatical and wording mistakes, I noticed them, but it shouldn't affect the reading.

Since I'm new to this forum, any changes to this thread will inevitably cause this thread to temporarily enter a state requiring moderator review, and I don't want it to be invisible for a while, so I won't update the grammatical and wording mistakes in it.

Also, discussing anything about the beta profile may break the forum rules. discussions about it in this thread have been deleted or edited by moderators. so don't ask me that question, I don't want to make trouble.



ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT THING, I just noticed is that upgrading to iOS 15.7.2 may expire earlier than March 2023, that is because the beta profile may expire sooner, and the beta profile I have is valid until January 31, 2023, which probably means you won't be able to get the OTA update to 15.7.2 RC after January 31, 2023.

This is over a month earlier than I expected because my expectations were based on the 90 days of the Delayed OTA and ignored the beta expiration date.

I won't correct the mention of the expiration date in the main thread, but you should know that by now.



The guide does work for iPhone SE 2, SE 3, I forgot to mention them in the main thread.



This guide works at this moment, if you succeed or fail, share your experience, of course you need to follow the forum rules.

Do let us know what device you are using and what version of iOS you were on before upgrading.
 
Last edited:
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DuckMe

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 14, 2022
70
39
EDIT 2: SUCCESS!!! After redoing the delay.mobileconfig file, it all worked flawlessly!! Also, in leu of emailing the configs, installing them via the Apple Configurator works as well!! Hope this helps anyone else that may/would have any issues!

And thanks @DuckMe for this awesome work around!!!!
Thanks for sharing your experience, what device are you using and what version was it before upgrading?

I did forget that you can import profiles directly from Apple Configurator/iMazing, and you can even use them directly to generate delayed OTA profiles.
 

Bluediamond

macrumors newbie
Dec 17, 2022
1
0
Thanks for sharing your experience, what device are you using and what version was it before upgrading?

I did forget that you can import profiles directly from Apple Configurator/iMazing, and you can even use them directly to generate delayed OTA profiles.
Hi, I am getting an error when trying to install the delay.mobileconfig file. Via email it's just a generic "Profile Error Invalid Profile", while getting this error if I try to install it via Apple Configurator: "This profile is invalid or missing required values. [ConfigurationUtilityKit.error – 0x6 (6)]". Since today's date is Dec. 17, I entered in "9" as the modification. Can you let me know what I can be doing wrong?

EDIT 1: I've figured it out. I needed to create and save an empty .txt file first, then copy/paste the code into that .txt. All good now. Waiting for the update to download to see if it is successful!

EDIT 2: SUCCESS!!! After redoing the delay.mobileconfig file, it all worked flawlessly!! Also, in leu of emailing the configs, installing them via the Apple Configurator works as well!! Hope this helps anyone else that may/would have any issues!

And thanks @DuckMe for this awesome work around!!!!

I'm stuck at importing the delayed profile. The iPhone XS is supervised and I've sent the delay.mobileconfig profile via stock Mail app. When I tap the attachment I get 'Profile Error' The profile version is not supported. This happens for a delayed profile that I created in Apple Configurator 2, and edited the integer to 9 using Finder.

I also created another delayed profile using the code from this thread: I copied from this thread and edited integer to 9. I initially saved an empty file in the TextEdit software as text. Then I added the content and modified the ending to delay.mobileconfig. When I try to import it via stock Mail app I get 'Profile Error. Invalid Profile.'

Any ideas? I'm using iPhone XS on 15.6 RC and macOS 13.1.
 

DuckMe

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 14, 2022
70
39
I'm stuck at importing the delayed profile. The iPhone XS is supervised and I've sent the delay.mobileconfig profile via stock Mail app. When I tap the attachment I get 'Profile Error' The profile version is not supported. This happens for a delayed profile that I created in Apple Configurator 2, and edited the integer to 9 using Finder.

I also created another delayed profile using the code from this thread: I copied from this thread and edited integer to 9. I initially saved an empty file in the TextEdit software as text. Then I added the content and modified the ending to delay.mobileconfig. When I try to import it via stock Mail app I get 'Profile Error. Invalid Profile.'

Any ideas? I'm using iPhone XS on 15.6 RC and macOS 13.1.
Please add the file in your reply so I can check if your profile is correct, I think you may have copied the wrong line.


Or use the file I made for you below, it has 10 days delay and will only be available on December 18th, tomorrow you will have to modify the date in it. (Due to forum restrictions, you must remove ".txt" from the filename)

EDIT: Removed obsolete attachment.
 
Last edited:

bogdanw

macrumors 603
Mar 10, 2009
6,144
3,042
the file I made for you below
There is no need to keep all those keys, you only need forceDelayedSoftwareUpdates and enforcedSoftwareUpdateDelay

Code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>PayloadContent</key>
    <array>
        <dict>
            <key>PayloadDescription</key>
            <string>Configures restrictions</string>
            <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
            <string>Restrictions</string>
            <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
            <string>com.apple.applicationaccess.B0419900-A9E4-4AC1-99D5-015F4A134B7A</string>
            <key>PayloadType</key>
            <string>com.apple.applicationaccess</string>
            <key>PayloadUUID</key>
            <string>B0419900-A9E4-4AC1-99D5-015F4A134B7A</string>
            <key>PayloadVersion</key>
            <integer>1</integer>
            <key>enforcedSoftwareUpdateDelay</key>
            <integer>10</integer>
            <key>forceDelayedSoftwareUpdates</key>
            <true/>
        </dict>
    </array>
    <key>PayloadDescription</key>
    <string>Delay updates for iOS 15.7.2</string>
    <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
    <string>OTA Delay - iOS 15.7.2</string>
    <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
    <string>DhinakGOTADelay</string>
    <key>PayloadOrganization</key>
    <string>Dhinak G</string>
    <key>PayloadRemovalDisallowed</key>
    <false/>
    <key>PayloadType</key>
    <string>Configuration</string>
    <key>PayloadUUID</key>
    <string>3AA2EEFD-DBAB-4984-A1E8-45EECEC7DA37</string>
    <key>PayloadVersion</key>
    <integer>1</integer>
</dict>
</plist>
 

DuckMe

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 14, 2022
70
39
There is no need to keep all those keys, you only need forceDelayedSoftwareUpdates and enforcedSoftwareUpdateDelay

Code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>PayloadContent</key>
    <array>
        <dict>
            <key>PayloadDescription</key>
            <string>Configures restrictions</string>
            <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
            <string>Restrictions</string>
            <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
            <string>com.apple.applicationaccess.B0419900-A9E4-4AC1-99D5-015F4A134B7A</string>
            <key>PayloadType</key>
            <string>com.apple.applicationaccess</string>
            <key>PayloadUUID</key>
            <string>B0419900-A9E4-4AC1-99D5-015F4A134B7A</string>
            <key>PayloadVersion</key>
            <integer>1</integer>
            <key>enforcedSoftwareUpdateDelay</key>
            <integer>10</integer>
            <key>forceDelayedSoftwareUpdates</key>
            <true/>
        </dict>
    </array>
    <key>PayloadDescription</key>
    <string>Delay updates for iOS 15.7.2</string>
    <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
    <string>OTA Delay - iOS 15.7.2</string>
    <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
    <string>DhinakGOTADelay</string>
    <key>PayloadOrganization</key>
    <string>Dhinak G</string>
    <key>PayloadRemovalDisallowed</key>
    <false/>
    <key>PayloadType</key>
    <string>Configuration</string>
    <key>PayloadUUID</key>
    <string>3AA2EEFD-DBAB-4984-A1E8-45EECEC7DA37</string>
    <key>PayloadVersion</key>
    <integer>1</integer>
</dict>
</plist>
You always get those keys when creating with Apple's program, I never figured out if they were necessary, but I think you're right, you don't need them, thanks.
 

iosgino

macrumors newbie
Mar 4, 2018
5
21
Maryland, USA
Thanks for sharing your experience, what device are you using and what version was it before upgrading?

I did forget that you can import profiles directly from Apple Configurator/iMazing, and you can even use them directly to generate delayed OTA profiles.
My initial device was iPhone 13 Pro running 15.7.1. Since my initial post, I've used this to update my iPhone SE 2, and at this very moment, I've downgraded my iPhone 13 mini from 16.2 to the (still signed!!!) 15.6 RC and will report back once this phone's process is complete.
 
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vladstarr

macrumors newbie
Mar 27, 2021
12
23
Thank you very much for this guide. Sucessfully updated my iPhone 12 Pro running iOS 15.7.1 to 15.7.2.

JFYI, at first supervision process Apple Configurator required update my phone to latest iOS, but I just said no and tried supervising once again and it worked. Profiles were installed through configurator too.
 
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DuckMe

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 14, 2022
70
39
My initial device was iPhone 13 Pro running 15.7.1. Since my initial post, I've used this to update my iPhone SE 2, and at this very moment, I've downgraded my iPhone 13 mini from 16.2 to the (still signed!!!) 15.6 RC and will report back once this phone's process is complete.
Looks great, but note that if you have more devices planning to do this, please ASAP, as I pointed out in #4 that 15.7.2 may expire sooner than we expect.

For 15.6 RC 1, I don't know why they're still signing it, it's unusual, usually they unsign it a week after the next release. but yes, you won't be able to downgrade without it, because Delayed OTAs can't be used for downgrades, only ipsw for full restore.


And, in fact, I haven't upgraded to 15.7.2 on any of my iPhones yet, since I'm not into actual holidays yet, it's hard to find the time to do so. That's why this post may lack details, as everything is based on my previous experience. If you've done this many times, maybe you can help correct some mistakes in this post, like I forgot earlier that you can send profiles directly through Apple Configurator without Mail.



JFYI, at first supervision process Apple Configurator required update my phone to latest iOS, but I just said no and tried supervising once again and it worked. Profiles were installed through configurator too.

I don't really remember them asking you to update to the latest software, maybe because my iPhone was already using the latest version of iOS the last time I used Apple Configurator, but thank you very much for pointing this out, If you have more experience or find mistakes in this thread, feel free to share them.





Anyway let's help more people together, cheers 🍻
 

brianus

macrumors 6502
Jun 17, 2005
401
0
I can't get the phone into Supervised mode; Configurator says "cannot access Apple School Manager or Apple Business Manager. Please contact your organization's administrators".

What am I missing here - is this thread only for people belonging to an organization?
 

DuckMe

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 14, 2022
70
39
I can't get the phone into Supervised mode; Configurator says "cannot access Apple School Manager or Apple Business Manager. Please contact your organization's administrators".

What am I missing here - is this thread only for people belonging to an organization?
Has your iPhone been supervised by other organization?

If your iPhone is already supervised by another organization, such as a company or school, then there is nothing I can do, contacting your IT and asking them to make and push a Delayed OTA profile for you is the only way.


Or are you signing up for MDM?

To use Apple Configurator, you don't need to log into your Apple ID, nor do you need to register any account.

But you do need to fill in an organization information yourself, but this information is local and can be filled in at will.
 

vladstarr

macrumors newbie
Mar 27, 2021
12
23
I can't get the phone into Supervised mode; Configurator says "cannot access Apple School Manager or Apple Business Manager. Please contact your organization's administrators".

What am I missing here - is this thread only for people belonging to an organization?
You just need to click Skip button on sign in step. Stuck for a while same as you, until i figured it out haha
 
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DuckMe

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 14, 2022
70
39
You just need to click Skip button on sign in step. Stuck for a while same as you, until i figured it out haha
Thanks for your help and clarification.

I was thinking, given how vague the process is, maybe if someone would be willing to make a guide filled with screenshots of each step it would be much appreciated.
 

brianus

macrumors 6502
Jun 17, 2005
401
0
Thanks for your help and clarification.

I was thinking, given how vague the process is, maybe if someone would be willing to make a guide filled with screenshots of each step it would be much appreciated.

Yeah, I didn't get a Skip button the first time I tried it, just a "Next". I did after I restarted though. 🤷‍♂️

So my next question is.. how on earth do I update an iPhone SE (2020) that's currently on iOS 13? No matter what day value I use in the delay.mobileconfig profile, I wind up with some version of iOS 16 in Software Update. 16.0 was released 98 days ago which apparently is longer than the allowed amount of delay.

I've been on the ipsw.me site but there is literally no version of iOS 15 that isn't shown as Unsigned. I do not see a 19G69.
 

cchase887543

macrumors newbie
May 12, 2022
11
6
Would anyone have a working profile? I’m supervised. But can’t make a profile as I have windows.
 

DuckMe

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 14, 2022
70
39
Yeah, I didn't get a Skip button the first time I tried it, just a "Next". I did after I restarted though. 🤷‍♂️

So my next question is.. how on earth do I update an iPhone SE (2020) that's currently on iOS 13? No matter what day value I use in the delay.mobileconfig profile, I wind up with some version of iOS 16 in Software Update. 16.0 was released 98 days ago which apparently is longer than the allowed amount of delay.

I've been on the ipsw.me site but there is literally no version of iOS 15 that isn't shown as Unsigned. I do not see a 19G69.
I explained the steps in your original post, you need to upgrade to 15.6 RC first to get this OTA.

This is because the optional upgrade function is only added in iOS 14.5, and versions before 14.5 can only see the latest version and cannot see other optional versions.

Also, I won't trust ipsw me anymore, the site has lost credibility over and over again, it never lists beta ipsws, even when iOS 15.7 final restore ipsw is available, I seriously doubt it has been bought by Apple , they now, like Apple, only allow you to update to the latest version.

Search for "iPhone12,8_15.6_19G69_Restore.ipsw", this is the ipsw available for your model at the moment.
 

DuckMe

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 14, 2022
70
39
Would anyone have a working profile? I’m supervised. But can’t make a profile as I have windows.
Why can't you do this? I'm pretty sure even a Windows 95 text editor would do the job.

You just need to copy the content of the original post into empty text and modify the date, then save.

However, I'm now recommending the content of #8 because it's simpler.




EDIT:
Well, I made you a Delayed OTA profile for today (Dec 19th, it has an 11 day delay), you need to remove the .txt from the filename before sending to the iPhone.


But, anyone should do it themselves, just copy, edit, save, because this file needs to modify the date in it every day, i can't always help.


EDIT2: Removed obsolete attachment.
 
Last edited:

cchase887543

macrumors newbie
May 12, 2022
11
6
Why can't you do this? I'm pretty sure even a Windows 95 text editor would do the job.

You just need to copy the content of the original post into empty text and modify the date, then save.

However, I'm now recommending the content of #8 because it's simpler.
I copied it, but it’s only giving me the option for 15.7.1
 

DuckMe

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 14, 2022
70
39
I copied it, but it’s only giving me the option for 15.7.1
That's because that date is incorrect. #8 only applies to yesterday.

You need to edit the date between <integer>10</integer>, that is, the time difference between today and December 8th, and today should be 11.

Anyway, I edited my original reply at #20 to make a profile for you that works for today. Using that should get you iOS 15.7.2 today.

let us know if you are successful.
 

cchase887543

macrumors newbie
May 12, 2022
11
6
That's because that date is incorrect. #8 only applies to yesterday.

You need to edit the date between <integer>10</integer>, that is, the time difference between today and December 8th, and today should be 11.

Anyway, I edited my original reply at #20 to make a profile for you that works for today. Using that should get you iOS 15.7.2 today.

let us know if you are successful.
Unfortunately still only gives me 15.7.1. They might have fixed it.
 

DuckMe

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 14, 2022
70
39
Unfortunately still only gives me 15.7.1. They might have fixed it.
Are you sure you have two profiles ready?

One is Delayed OTA, which lets you go back in time and get the OTA updates that were available that day.

One is the beta profile, since the only 15.7.2 available that day is the RC release, which is only available to members of the beta program.

In order to get a beta profile, you'll have to figure it out yourself, and it might be against the forum rules to discuss it.


I recommend you read the original thread carefully, as it explains in detail how to modify the delayed OTA and why I can't distribute the beta profile.
 
Last edited:

cchase887543

macrumors newbie
May 12, 2022
11
6
Are you sure you have two profiles ready?

One is Delayed OTA, which lets you go back in time and get the OTA updates that were available that day.

One is the beta profile, since the only 15.7.2 available that day is the RC release, which is only available to members of the beta program.

In order to get a beta profile, you'll have to figure it out yourself, and it might be against the forum rules to discuss it, but the Google "iOS 15 beta profiles" is a good place to start.
Ohhh. I didn’t read that. I’m so dumb. I didn’t realize I needed both.
 
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